Said Sen. Lucas (D - Portsmouth), “No one should be telling our children what they are and aren’t supposed to feel — who they are and aren’t supposed to be. This bill would have protected young people while leaving adults free to make their own choices. Republicans should be ashamed of their votes today.”

Several witnesses appeared to testify on behalf of the bill, including representatives from Equality Virginia and the Alliance for Progressive Values One witness against the bill — Linda Wall, a conservative activist — seemingly suggested that homosexuality might be a mental disorder, arguing that “the mental health industry is failing people who want help, who want to change.”